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"Taking
Advantage of
Opportunity
May Require Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone And Taking Personal
Risks"
by
Robert Kirwan
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Let
me start off this week’s article with a little riddle.
In one local business there were five employees who were not
happy with their particular situation. If two of the employees
decided that they would quit their job, go to school to get a
diploma and get into a more satisfying career, how many of the
original five employees were still working for the company?
The answer is five.
Deciding that you are going to do something to improve your
life and begin a new career is one thing, but actually doing it is
another. Anyone can talk about self-improvement. As a matter of
fact, I am sure that we all engage in such conversations from time
to time. It takes a lot of courage to actually risk stepping out of
your comfort zone to do something about it.
Many of us might be finding ourselves at a crossroads in our
life right now with unemployment rate in the Greater Sudbury Area at
the highest level in decades. While the actual number of persons
collecting employment insurance is high, there are many more people
who have had their hours reduced and must live on less income. There
are also thousands of people in our community who are on strike.
I’m sure that a large number of people who have had their
employment interrupted or wages reduced are thinking seriously about
their future. In fact, the whole question of job security is
foremost on the minds of many employees as they watch companies
downsize, shut down and contract out.
Nevertheless, instead of looking at the current situation in
Greater Sudbury negatively, some people are considering this the
opportunity they have been waiting for to “do something about
their future”.
It brings to mind one of my favourite stories about a very
devout Christian who lived in an area that was being flooded by
heavy rain.
All of the people in the town were told to leave their homes
so that they would avoid certain death from the flood. A large truck
stopped outside the man’s door and the driver told him to get on
board. The Christian yelled out, “Don’t worry. I am staying
here.
God will take care of me.” The rain continued and the water
rose, flooding the entire first floor of the man’s house. A person
in a boat came by and called to the man to get on board. The
Christian yelled out, “Don’t worry. I am staying here.
God will take care of me.” The rain continued to fall until
the only thing the Christian could do was climb to the top of the
roof. Suddenly a helicopter came by and the pilot called down to the
Christian to grab onto the rope and climb to safety. The Christian
yelled out, “Don’t worry. I am staying here.
God will take care of me.” Sadly, the water continued to
rise and the Christian drowned.
When the Christian arrived at the Gates of Heaven, he looked
up at God and asked, “Why did you not save me? I had faith in you
and I prayed that you would take care of me. Why did you let me
die?” God looked at the Christian and declared, “What more could
I do for you? I sent you a truck, a boat and a helicopter and you
turned them all away.”
So if you are like one of those two employees who “decided
to do something to improve their current situation”, now that the
opportunity may have actually arrived, don’t be like the Christian
in the story above. Don’t pass up a perfectly good opportunity to
change your life forever. Consider your options and take a personal
risk. Step out of your comfort zone!
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Have a good week.
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REFLECTIONS by
Robert Kirwan
Robert Kirwan has been writing inspirational editorials
about education, sports and life in general
for over 25 years. He is most recognized as
the writer/editor for Valley East's The
Vision Paper for almost ten years. Now you
can read hundreds of editorials that Kirwan has written
over the years by clicking on the button to the right.
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"The
Real Heroes Of The Olympic Games Were The 12,000 Torch Bearers Who
Left Lasting Memories Across This Great Country"
by
Robert Kirwan
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As I write this article I can
truly say that never in my life have I been so proud to be a
Canadian. And I am not afraid to say that publicly to anyone
who is around to listen. The Olympic Games in Vancouver were absolutely
phenomenal. To be able to declare that I actually watched Sidney
Crosby score the winning goal in overtime to capture not only
the gold medal for Men's Hockey, but moreover, the 14th and
record-setting gold medal of the games is something that I
will hold dear to my heart for the rest of my life. I watched Paul
Henderson score the winning goal in 1972 during the famous
Canada-Russia Series, and this moment ranks right up there
alongside that tremendous moment in history. There has been much said
and written recently about how the Olympic
Games has rejuvenated our national pride and raised our
normally refined patriotism in this country to a euphoric
level the likes of which few can recall being equaled in the
past. There were some amazing achievements realized by all of our
athletes, and there were some disappointments. As a
country, "Team Canada" broke the all-time record for the most gold
medals ever won by any nation at an winter Olympics. This
means that our national anthem was sung after more events than
any other nation in the world, and after all, that is what the
Olympics is all about. It is nice to congratulate the bronze
and silver medallists, but the reality is that we
celebrate the "gold medal". We want to hear our
national anthem played and we want to see our athletes stand
on the top level of the podium. All in all, there were some extraordinarily
inspirational and emotional times during the period from
February 12 to 28, 2010 that touched the hearts of all
Canadians.
Nevertheless, despite all of the great moments
that occurred during the actual competitions, I doubt very
much that the Olympic Spirit that we felt during the games
would not have been quite as intense if not for the 106 day Olympic
Torch Relay that began on October 30, 2009 in Victoria British
Columbia and ended during the Opening Ceremonies on February
12, 2010. I would suggest that the key to the tremendous
success of the 2010 Olympics was the decision to make this the longest
torch run
in history to be contained within the Host Country. The torch
was carried a total of 45,000 kilometers through over 1000
communities in 106 days by over 12,000 individual
"heroes" allowing over 90% of
the population of Canada to be within a one hour drive of
experiencing the Olympic flame. The Olympic Spirit was
nurtured across this vast country and culminated with Sidney
Crosby's overtime game-winning goal. The roar was felt all
around the world, but it was started in Olympia Greece on
October 22, 2009 and continued to build once it started its
journey across Canada.
In the days following the closing ceremonies,
I have yet to hear one comment or news story about the Olympic
Torch Relay. All of our attention has been focused on the
performance of the athletes and in particular on Sidney
Crosby's single goal. I wonder what things would have been
like if the United States would have won that last game?
Personally, I will soon forget the accomplishments of the
athletes during the Olympic games. I'll remember the game
winning goal and I will remember that we won 14 gold medals.
But I will soon forget the competition that created the
euphoria. However, there is something that I will never forget
and I would like to share it with you right now.
I have always believed that we may over time
forget the names of people we meet in our life, but we will
never forget how they made us feel. This was n ever more
evident than when the journey of life that my wife and I are
on lead us to Barrie on October 22,
2009, helping our son Warren, and Cindi Meyer move into their
brand new house. While we were taking a break from moving in
the furniture we found
ourselves watching the live broadcast of the Olympic Flame
being lit in Olympia Greece during a special ceremony to hand
the torch to Canadian officials. We took advantage of the
opportunity to get a photo of Cindi beside the television.
Cindi, you see, was one of the 12,000 people who had been selected to
carry the torch. At that time, I could sense that this was
more than just a picture of Cindi in front of her television,
but I still had no idea just how much it would eventually come
to mean. This was indeed a very significant moment in a story
that was about to unfold over the next several months. I
wondered silently how many other families of the 12,000 torch
bearers were doing exactly the same as us. For us, this
television broadcast meant a lot more than we could ever
imagine.
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All during the Christmas season, when people
asked me what I was going to be doing during the holidays, I
told them that we were going to be in Barrie watching Cindi
carry the torch in Alliston, about 40 minutes south of where
they now lived. The responses I received were quite
remarkable. Each and every person had an expression of what
can be best described as "Wow!" They were sincerely
happy that I would be experiencing such an important event and
they couldn't say enough about how lucky I was to be so close
to someone was going to be an official "Olympic Torch-Bearer".
I could sense that they felt their trips to exotic places
around the world for the holidays were nowhere as impressive
as what I was going to be doing. This happened over and over again
and I began to feel a deep
sense of pride and anticipation. I began to feel the
importance of the event. I was actually going to be
with my family witnessing Cindi carry the Olympic torch. There were
going to be a lot of torch parties going on over the land, and
we would be attending one of them. It was actually quite
exciting but I still had no idea of what was to come.
We even started to follow the Olympic Torch on
the CTV web site. You were able to see each individual carry the
torch over their stretch of 300 meters, and even though we
were not there in person, I could still feel that sense of pride
and anticipation building up inside me, knowing that the flame
was making its way to Alliston where on December 29, we would
see Cindi doing exactly what these people were doing on
television. As the day approached, there was a special feeling
that came over me that I couldn't quite explain.
When the big day finally came we crowded into
our vehicles to drive the 40 minutes from Warren's house to the spot where Cindi
would begin her run. Warren and Cindi along with her
children went ahead because the Olympic Torch Bearers had to
gather in advance for final instructions at a central meeting
place.
There was no way in the world that I could
have ever imagined how I was going to feel later on that
afternoon. But I will admit that I felt different. I
can't describe it, but there was something different inside of
me. It was as if I knew that I was going to be part of
something special.
When we arrived in Alliston we positioned ourselves beside the pole where
Cindi would be dropped off by the Torch-Bearer Bus that went
out in advance of the relay runners. Each torch-bearer had a
designated drop-off spot along the route. Warren told us where
Cindi's drop-off spot would be and he was there when we
arrived. We found ourselves sort of
in the middle of a stretch of the street which was between a
corner with traffic lights and a section of the downtown that
was barricaded to keep traffic out for a good hour prior to
the run. Because of this, very few spectators were in the spot
when Cindi was dropped off. There was a crowd at the corner
with the traffic lights and there was a crowd gathering on the
other side of the barricade. You can see in the photo below as
Cindi was let out of the bus that there were not many people
around her at the time.
This was the moment we had been waiting for
since the day we found out that Cindi was one of the 12,000
persons selected to carry the torch.
What happened during the next fifteen minutes
was a truly defining moment in my life, as I am sure it became
in the life of many of the people who were around me that day.
Almost immediately, dozens of people began inching their way
towards Cindi. They saw her get out of the bus and they wanted
to get an up-close look at this "celebrity" whom we
simply called Cindi.
We took a picture of Cindi and Warren with her
two children, Brittney and Austin and then the flood-gates
opened and everybody surrounded Cindi asking politely if she
would mind them getting their picture taken with her and the
torch. It was if the picture we took released something inside
the spectators. It was as if they felt "connected"
to Cindi. You could tell how proud and thrilled these
"strangers" were to be allowed to stand beside a
real, live Olympic Torch Bearer and have someone take their
picture. They touched the torch gently and with reverence.
At that moment in time, Cindi was the most
famous person in the world to the people in the crowd, especially
to the
youngsters. Wayne Gretsky could have walked by and the people
would still have wanted to get their picture with Cindi. This
was Cindi's moment and
Cindi was absolutely gracious. She was anticipating one of the
most important moments in her life, and yet she gratefully
obliged everyone by standing there and letting them get their
picture so that they could put it in a treasured place to
remind them of the event for the rest of their lives. You
could tell that everyone who touched the torch and stood
beside Cindi felt that she was somehow representing
"ordinary Canadians" and that this stretch of the
run was being done for them.
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I stood back and watched as my granddaughters,
Hailee (5) on the left and Hannah (3) on the right went up and
hugged their Aunt Cindi. They put their hands on the torch. They
had heard us talking about this for some time and they too,
even as young as they were, could understand that this was
something very special. When they get older they will
appreciate the significance of the event, but even now they
somehow knew. This was the same Aunt Cindi who they had been
with that morning, but somehow Aunt Cindi was going to be
different for a while. She was going to be doing something
very special and they could feel it just like everyone else in
the crowd.
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Keep in mind that this all happened in less than
10 or 15 minutes from the time the bus dropped Cindi off by
herself at her designated spot until the flame was delivered
to her and she would carry it for the next leg in the 45,000
kilometre journey. It was truly remarkable and I can honestly
say I have never felt quite the same as I did that day. I
can't even describe how I felt. I was so proud to be there to
witness the moment with my family and my granddaughters.
I was also so happy for the dozens of
people who would be able to tell their family and friends that
they had their picture taken with an Olympic Torch Bearer. You
could tell that they were moved and very appreciative of
the way Cindi treated them. I was so proud of Cindi for
allowing everyone to share a little piece of this moment that
they would take away with them forever.
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And then the "flame" arrived and was
transferred to Cindi. The crowd watched, cameras flashing, and
Cindi stood alone for a few seconds in the middle of the
street, taking it all in and realizing the significance of the
event. Now it was her turn to accept responsibility for
bringing the flame on the next stage of its long journey. This
was the flame that we had seen on television on October 22,
2009. It was the flame we were going to watch on February 12, 2010
when the Olympic cauldron was lit in Vancouver. Everyone in
the street watched and felt in their hearts a sense of pride
in being a Canadian that for most of us we had never
experienced with such intensity until that moment. Cindi was
carrying that torch for everyone on the street and indeed
everyone in Canada.
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As Cindi ran with the torch through the
crowded street in downtown Alliston, you could sense that each
and every person there was running with her. She was carrying
much more than a torch with a flame. She was carrying the
hopes and dreams of a nation. This was not about athletic
competition and gold medals. This was much, much more and the
sight of Cindi with that torch would somehow change the life
of everyone there in a very positive way forever.
That is why the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games
meant so much to us. That is why over 26 million people turned
on their television sets to watch at least a part of the gold
medal hockey game on the afternoon of February 28, 2010. We watched
the opening ceremonies; we shared in the highs and lows of the
athletes during their competition in sports that many of us
have never seen in real life; and we experienced the unbelievable feeling when
Crosby scored the goal as the ultimate moment in the games. We
then wound down during the opening ceremonies and we now move
forward in our individual lives as proud Canadians. Life
is returning to normal.
Millions of people experienced first-hand the
Olympic Flame as it was carried by "ordinary" people
like Cindi Meyer. There are almost 12,000 "ordinary"
people who enjoyed a moment of fame while they took their turn
under the flame. There were also some famous people who
carried the torch, but the people on the street couldn't stand
beside and put their arm around the famous people. They
couldn't get their picture with the famous people. But they
could get their picture with the thousands of Torch Bearers
like Cindi. The people like Cindi Meyer were the real heroes
of the 2010 games. They were the ones who generated the
Olympic Spirit and who fueled the National pride we all felt
when Crosby scored his historic goal.
Cindi's Olympic torch will stand in a place of
honour in Warren and Cindi's house. Each time I visit I will
be reminded of the feeling I had on December 29 when I saw all
of those "ordinary" Canadians swelling up with pride
on that small street in Alliston. I will be reminded that this same
feeling was felt by millions of Canadians across this country
who experienced the same thing almost 12,000 times during the
106 day journey. They all have fond memories of the torch run
and they also are being reminded when they look at pictures or
whenever they meet someone who is introduced to them in the
future as "one of the 2010 Olympic Torch
Bearers".
It is a good feeling knowing that our country
is a much better place to live as a result of the 2010 Winter
Olympics and it's all because of thousands of ordinary people
like Cindi Meyer who carried lit our Canadian Spirit with a
small flame, 300 meters at a time. We will forget the names of
most of athletes who brought us so much joy during the 17 days
of the Olympic Games. The people who had their picture
taken with Cindi Meyer on December 29 on the small street in
Alliston will not remember her name. Nor will the millions of
others who had a chance to get up close to the thousands of
other torch bearers and who experienced the thrill of watching
the torch make its way across this country. But I will
guarantee you one thing; everyone will remember how they felt
when they saw the torch being carried. They will remember the
feeling that came over them when they were in the presence of
the real heroes of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games.
Have a good week! |
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LIVING
WITH CANCER
by Kevin Shanahan
CANCER
BUDDIES
A tumor had burst, in his abdominal area, and
Larry's life ended like the throwing of a switch to close a light.
His life's blood was leaving him. Chris tried, in vain,
to bring him back but he was gone when he hit the floor. She
lost the love of her life. I lost a good friend & cancer
buddy.
Just 36 hours later, Brenda, another
cancer buddy never woke from her sleep. The cancer had
come back in her brain. Just days before, as we drove to
her treatment, she shared she wasn't going to make it.
She wasn't afraid. She talked of her family and concern for
her Edgar, the love of her life.
We were three different people from different
walks of life that had come together, through cancer, to become
buddies.
Larry and I were truck drivers
delivering product to the same customer. We were parked about
a km apart and, because it was controlled unloading, we had to
stay with the truck for that hour. So we met over the CB
radio. We occasionally met each other going opposite
directions, on our highways, so our conversations were brief.
I guess we could be called cyber buddies. After two years I
was leaving my employer for a new job. Larry's job was coming
to an end because his employer lost the contract. I gave him
my employers number, with a good reference, so he took over my old
job and my truck. For another two years we only met while
going opposite directions but always exchanged highway information,
said our hello and wished each other well until me meet again.
Then one week he wasn't out there. I enquired with
his co-worker. He told me Larry had lung cancer and
was trying to reach me. The next morning, after 4 years, we
got to meet each other face to face. Then, for the next year
we travelled his journey through cancer together.
When my first article appeared in these pages
Brenda was going through her own treatments and, in spite of all the
side affects, took the time to send a card and letter of
encouragement to a total stranger. It was two years before we met in
a coffee shop, for a brief moment. We were both on the
run and promised to meet again some day. A year later we did
meet again, at the cancer center, and spent some time getting to
know each other. It wasn't long, after that meeting, she
moved into the valley. We got to know them over ice
cream, at the DQ, and we shared our inspirations to others at our
"living with cancer" peer support meetings. When her
cancer came back, I became one of her drivers to get her to the
many treatments. Things got complicated, she got weaker.
The treatments weren't helping any more. She was admitted, to
hospital, the same day Larry had his final chemotherapy
session. I spoke to her briefly. Her eyes showed no
fear. I think she knew it was time. Three days later,
she was gone.
I was angry at God and screamed for answers.
I know people come into our lives for a reason and, sometimes, it
isn't clear to us until much later. I've read to not let the
pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. To not
judge life by that one difficult season, but to live simply,
love generously, care deeply and speak kindly.
Even though I will never talk to them again, in this
life, they were special and made a difference in this mans life.
Until that day, bless them for being in my life.
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LIVING WITH
CANCER
by Kevin Shanahan
Kevin Shanahan is a local writer who has been battling cancer
for a number of years. He shares his thoughts about life in the hope
of providing inspiration to others who are dealing with this
dreadful disease as well as other challenges in life. In this
section of Valley East Today we have over
fifty different articles that Kevin has
written for us so that our readers may share
some of his inspirational words/ For
more>>>>> |
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MORTALITY
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The phone call came as I was having
breakfast with some friends at our local deli. That morning, a
mutual friend had died. He just didn't wake up. As I was
listening to the details, another friend was walking by using a
grocery cart for support. Later, that morning, I drove a
younger friend to his chemotherapy. On arrival at the
cancer center, I met a cancer buddy being admitted because she
was too weak. Frustration & worry were etched in
her face. The sudden passing of a younger family member
was still fresh in my thoughts and it seems that any time I meet
with friends, the conversation usually swings to ones health
and the medications they are on. Although I try not to encourage
this style of conversation, there have been many times I realized
that I was doing the same thing and it angered me. Some recent
health issues were keeping me from the loves of my life;
driving, hiking, snowshoeing and walking. A few other issues,
that week, made me feel the weight of the world on my
shoulders. If this isn't frustrating enough, I can
always count on some helpful friend who thinks it
important I be reminded of my age.
Things change as I go through life.
Some changes are to be expected, like my taste in music
changing from hour to hour. An all niter, now, is sleeping
through the night, til morning. Having a reason to get
out of bed is important but relaxation seems to be right up there
with breathing. Years ago when I drove for hours to visit with
family, their first words were "How long did it take ya?"
Somewhere back there those first words changed to
"You're looking good!" and it has been those words for
many years until recently they changed to "Come on in, you
must be tired." Sheesh!!
Age has always been, simply, a number and
being old will always be fifteen years hence. I am not fully
retired yet and it is my intention to continue driving until that
road ends. I think retirement requires a special mind-set and
I'm not sure if I can acquire it. I have struggled with that thought
these past few months because, I can't help but wonder, what if my
health dictates I retire. Experience reminds me that
the person awakening for that early morning walk is not the same
fellow that planned it the night before. I realize there are times
my mind will make promises that my body can't keep.
Surviving cancer taught me to live for today.
In spite of the books that encourage me to live in the moment,
or "the now", I'm always looking for enlightenment from whatever
source to offer it and I know when one door closes, another
beckons I step through. One can lose everything in an instant and when
we lose something (health for example) we have to learn to move on,
as unbearable as it may be. We will do it in different
ways, and at different times, after the loss. That old cliche
comes to mind, "If life delivers you lemons, make
lemonade". But, I'm not there yet.
That old serenity prayer, most days, comes to
mind; God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot
change. The courage to change the things I can. The
wisdom to know the difference. There is a short version to that
prayer and if we meet, you only need ask. To those that would,
so readily, remind me of my mortality? Kiss off!!
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.LIVING WITH
CANCER by Kevin Shanahan
Kevin Shanahan is a local writer who has been battling cancer
for a number of years. He shares his thoughts about life in the hope
of providing inspiration to others who are dealing with this
dreadful disease as well as other challenges in life. In this
section of Valley East Today we have over
fifty different articles that Kevin has
written for us so that our readers may share
some of his inspirational words.
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Robert Kirwan, OCT., B.A. (Math), M.A. (Education)
Independent Education, Training & Career Development
Consultant
The Greater Sudbury Learning Clinic |
Inspirational
editorials and reflections for students,
parents and teachers.
Click
on a button below for strategies for success
that are meant to help you. |
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Whether you are a student, a
parent, a teacher, a grandparent, or just a person
who is concerned education, I am sure that you
will agree that we are living in an era where
self-development and life-long learning is more
than just a passing trend. It is my pleasure to
bring you some of my favourite editorials,
reflections and stories as food for thought that
may in some way inspire or motivate you to taking
positive steps that will lead you to maximizing
your true potential and help you enjoy the best
quality of life possible. I hope you enjoy the
three editorials provided below. When you have
time, please select one of the buttons above for
more inspirational reflections on strategies that
may make a difference in your life. |
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The
Purpose of Life Is To Matter; To Count; To Stand for something; To
Have It Make Some Difference That We Lived At All......Leo
Rosten |
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Leo
Rosten's quotation is a remarkable statement.
Isn’t that what living life to the fullest is all about? Isn’t it
all about discovery; finding hidden talents and interests; experiencing
all there is about life so that you can make wise decisions as you grow
and develop into a mature, responsible individual?
I want to share with you with one of my favourite stories of all time.
It is called The Star Thrower, and is written by Loren Eiseley. Her story
has been told and retold so many times that I am sure it would be next to
impossible to find the original version, but the story goes something like
this:
Once upon a time there was an old man who used to go to the ocean to
walk along the beach and enjoy the waves crashing upon the rocks. Early
one morning he was walking along the shore by himself. As he looked down
the deserted beach, he saw a human figure in the distance. As he got
closer to the stranger, he saw that it was a young teenage boy. The boy
was reaching down to the sand, picking up something and very gently
throwing it into the ocean. As the old man got closer, he yelled out,
"Good morning, young fellow. What are you doing?"
The teenager paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish
back in the ocean."
"Why on earth are you doing that?" asked the old man.
The boy replied, "Because the sun is up and the tide is going out.
If I don’t throw them in they’ll die."
The old man looked at the teenager in disbelief and said, "But the
beach goes on for miles and miles and there are starfish all along it. You
can’t possibly make a difference."
The young boy listened politely, then bent down, picked up another
starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said,
"It made a difference for that one." And then the very wise
young boy continued on his way down the beach, bending down and throwing
starfish after starfish back into the ocean.
Whenever I feel like I am up against tremendous odds and that my
efforts are hopeless in the larger scheme of things, I think about The
Starfish Thrower. I would advise every student, parent and teacher to
make a copy of this story and keep it somewhere handy so that every time
you wonder about your worthiness you can read it.
We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. It is
just like Leo Rosten stated in the title to this article: "The
purpose of life is to matter; to count; to stand for something; to have it
make some difference that we lived at all".
It is my personal belief that there is something very special in each
and every one of us. It is also my belief that it is our responsibility as
human beings to reach out to the people who come into our life and make a
difference by sharing those special gifts. And the wonderful thing is that
we can all accomplish this with very little effort.
You may not be able to change the world, and you may not be able to
make a difference to everyone, but you certainly can make a difference to
most of the people you meet.
The young boy in the story understood this very important meaning of
life. He represents all young persons who have the courage to experience
all there is to encounter along their journey of life. They are not afraid
to reach out and try new things.
The old man in the story had become
skeptical from his experiences with others. He had adopted the philosophy
that if he cannot change the world, there is no use in even trying. He
would sit back and do nothing to save the starfish.
What he learned from
the young boy on the beach is that even if the odds are against you and it
seems as if there is little you can do, what little you can get done will
definitely make some difference. It doesn’t matter how long your journey
may be, you can still only get there one step at a time.
Don’t miss out on a golden opportunity to make it a real difference
that you have lived at all. Live your life to the fullest and be the best
you can be. |
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Education &
Career Planning Is One of the Most Important Responsibilities of
Family Managers |
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If you are a parent, you really don’t need to be reminded about
the importance of education. What goes on at school has an impact on every
single facet of family life from the time your youngest child enters
Junior Kindergarten until the day he or she finally decides that it is
time to leave the classroom and enter the world of work.
Many parents today
don’t realize, however, just how different things were when they were
going through the system. It sure seemed a whole lot easier to deal with
school matters when my own children were growing up.
Homework was less difficult to understand and I had no trouble
helping my children with their assignments. Most of the time we just let
the school take care of education responsibilities. Come to think of it,
everything about life seemed so much easier to deal with.
Times are different
today – in everything, not just education. Parents are no longer just
parents: they are “Family Managers” with responsibilities that include
a wide variety of functions, including the management of the education and
career planning of their children. In other words, today’s parents MUST
take an active role in the education program of their children. They have
no choice and it is imperative that they fully understand the implications
of provincial testing; IPRC meetings; IEP requirements; special education
and resource support; academic vs applied levels of study in high school;
college vs university vs apprenticeship options; report cards that have
numbers from 1 to 4 instead of percents and letters; etc.
Many parents are left
in a total state of confusion, making an attempt to become involved by
“helping” with homework until they recognize that the math being
taught in school today does not look like the math they were taught 20 or
30 years ago. They try as hard as they can to “force” their children
to keep up with assignments and to get high marks but this often leads to
an elevated level of stress in the home and a negative attitude towards
education among the children.
Today’s parents have
no choice! They must accept their role as “Family Managers” and within
that organizational structure of the family falls the management of
Learning and Education programs for children.
This can mean measures
that include anywhere from home schooling to private schools and
everything in between from regular schools to special schools to private
tutoring. Whatever it takes, it is your responsibility as the “Family
Manager” to make sure that effective learning takes place for all
members of your “team” – yourself included.
The primary
responsibility for educating your child is no longer the job of the
schools. It is your job as a parent and how you manage your choice of
schools and your understanding of the school system is critical to your
performance as the “Family Manager”.
You
must find time to visit your child's school once in a while. Talk
to the teacher and principal. And don’t just talk about the weather.
Talk about substance and become better acquainted with the programs. Ask
for explanations. Question policies and philosophies with which you
disagree. Visit web sites and check things out.
Whatever you do,
DON’T DO NOTHING! Your job as a “Family Manager” is the most
important job you will ever have in your life. Be good at it!
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The Secret To
Being A Successful Teacher Can Be Found In A Tube of Toothpaste |
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I
once read an article which was written by a man named Jeff Keller. After I
finished the article, I realized that the title, "There’s A Lot
More Left In The Tube", is one of those motivational quotations that
you would like to hang up in every room to remind you that you should
never give up too soon. I would recommend that most classroom teachers
should consider putting this quotation up in a banner in a place of honour
where all of your students will be reminded of this very important
message.
No
doubt we have all experienced frustration and despair at various times in
our lives when we felt we had done everything we possibly could to achieve
a particular goal. It may be something as simple as trying to grow flowers
in your garden, or as serious as how to cultivate a better relationship
with your child or spouse, or even something to do with your job as a
classroom teacher. Whatever the case, there comes a point when you simply
feel you can’t go on any further.
And yet, the secret to success, and
the motivation you are seeking, may very well be as close as your tube of
toothpaste. Let me try to explain.
Every
time I come to the end of a tube of toothpaste, I am completely amazed
that just when I think the tube is absolutely empty, I can squeeze many
more brushings out of it. I’m sure you have all gone through the same
thing. I look at the seemingly empty tube in my hand, then I look at the
new tube in the box, and I have to decide whether to throw away the old
and open the new, or try to squeeze a few more out of the old. Without
fail, just when I think the tube is absolutely empty, I get to squeeze
another 12 or 15 more brushings out of it.
So,
next time you find yourself in a situation where you feel you just can’t
go on any further, remember the "tube". It’s usually when
things haven’t been working out and you feel like quitting, that you
experience a major breakthrough. We can all recall times when success came
when we were on our last chance or when we were doing something for the
final time. It is when you dig deep down for that one last burst of energy
that you find your goal.
Unfortunately,
too many people quit too early - just before they could get around that
final corner to success. All they needed to do is squeeze one more drop
from the tube. Space does not permit me to write the hundreds of examples
of successful people who kept on going in the face of adversity and
disappointment. Even the writers of "Chicken Soup For The Soul"
were rejected by 33 publishers before they found one who would print their
book. What if they would have quit too soon? Many of the world’s leaders
are examples of people who reached their goal just after their greatest
setback.
One
of the most important lessons you can give your students is that if you
have a goal; if you truly believe in yourself; and if you have the
passion, enthusiasm and commitment to go for your dream; then keep
squeezing that "inner tube of toothpaste" one more time. And
don't forget this when you feel you have done everything possible with one
or more of your more challenging students. Just keep squeezing. It is only
when you run out of the "passion" that you will know that your
"tube is empty". Just make sure that you don’t quit too soon.
Success may be just around the corner.
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